BEING a pole professional is all about strength and style, not sleaze, as competitors proved at the 2014 Tasmanian Pole Fitness Championships.

Sixteen finalists came from across the state to take part in the event at Hobart's Aurora Sports Stadium on Saturday, with state champions named in four different divisions: intermediate female, advanced female, men's and doubles.

The championships attracted nearly twice as many entries as last year's inaugural event, reflecting the sport's growing popularity.

Event organiser Bec Collins, who teaches at Diamond Class Pole and Fitness Studio, said public perception of the sport had changed dramatically in recent years.

"I've been doing it for six years. For the first few years when I'd tell people I pole danced, they'd assume I was a stripper," she said.

"But now when I tell people, they say 'that's really good for fitness', and ask me where I do it. So the public perception has changed, and the sport has become more popular and accepted. It's getting huge, right around Australia."

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